> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.synctera.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Prepaid Card

> A prepaid card spends from a pre-loaded balance rather than an ongoing deposit relationship. Reloadable programs behave much like debit; non-reloadable programs are the usual choice for gift cards.

The `curl` examples assume you have set up `baseurl` and `apikey` environment variables. See [Base URL](/v2/reference/environments) and [Authentication](/v2/reference/authentication). Identifiers produced by earlier steps are written like `{ACCOUNT_ID}`.

## Step 1 — Decide Reloadable or Non-Reloadable

This choice drives the account type and most of what follows.

|                | Reloadable                                             | Non-reloadable                  |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------- |
| Account type   | `CHECKING`                                             | `PREPAID`                       |
| Funding        | Ongoing                                                | Loaded once with a fixed value  |
| Typical use    | Allowances, stipends, payroll, serving the underbanked | Gift cards, incentives, rebates |
| Cardholder KYC | Required                                               | Often not required              |

Reloadable prepaid programs behave much like debit — see [Build a Debit Card Program](/v2/docs/build-debit-card), which follows the same shape.

## Step 2 — Create the Customer

For most prepaid programs, create and verify a customer as normal. See [Create a Personal Customer](/v2/docs/create-a-personal-customer) and [KYC/KYB Verification](/v2/docs/kyc-kyb-verification).

Gift card programs are the exception. A card product with `issue_without_kyc` enabled issues non-personalized cards without a verified customer. See [Personalized and Non-Personalized Cards](/v2/docs/card-programs#personalized-and-non-personalized-cards).

## Step 3 — Create the Account

Build an account template with the account type from Step 1 and `is_card_enabled` set to `true`, then create the account from it. See [Create Accounts](/v2/docs/create-accounts-guide).

We refer to the resulting account's UUID as `{ACCOUNT_ID}`.

## Step 4 — Issue the Card

Issue against your prepaid card product with `"type": "PREPAID"`.

<CodeGroup>
  ```shell Shell theme={"system"}
  curl -X POST "$baseurl/v2/cards" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $apikey" \
    -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
    --data-binary '{
      "type": "PREPAID",
      "card_details": {
        "form": "VIRTUAL",
        "account_id": "{ACCOUNT_ID}",
        "customer_id": "{CUSTOMER_ID}",
        "card_product_id": "{CARD_PRODUCT_ID}"
      }
    }'
  ```
</CodeGroup>

See [Card Issuance and Management](/v2/docs/card-issuance-management#issue-a-card) for the full request shape and the physical card variant.

## Step 5 — Ship in Bulk, If Applicable

Gift and incentive programs frequently ship cards in bulk to a business for on-site assignment. Cards can be issued against a business without naming a cardholder, then assigned to individuals later with [Update Card](/v2/reference/updatecard).

See [Bulk Card Orders](/v2/docs/bulk-card-orders).